the the. ringback the, the suspects in the mac, the bag christmas mach is attack, is a self described saudi. this is jim know, sorry to say he supports a right wing policy. could police have done more to prevent the remy? where does this leave a country divided by immigration and the rise in popularity? the far right? this is inside store the hello and welcome to the program and the bulk of german police of charge. the man accused of running a car in to crowds at the christmas market, with several counts of murder and attempted murder minutes to say the 50 year old

saudi psychiatrist, who's lived in jimmy for 18 years, is this on the phobic on shawn slow enough show, says he won't let people who try to spread hatred, get away with it. but the anti immigrant fall ride alternative for germany party is made gains and opinion polls the head of february snap election. and just that he's off the full if you decide regime the government in berlin froze asylum applications for syrians as pressure bounce on politicians will fridays, con is coupled with the simmering route over migrants in your divide gemini, even further. but we'll get to these issues. so i guess the 1st, the support by wilson thought is that christmas markets are held once a year, offering warrenton, fellowship is shadows, length and in temperatures dropped. but this year in magda berg germany, a nightmare on folders as a man driving an s u. v plowed into the crowds, you couldn't so i'm guessing at this stage we can only say with certainty that the

perpetrator was obviously is i'm a photo, but we can already confirm that everything else is subject to further investigation . authorities say he's a 50 year old doctor from saudi arabia who's been in germany since 2006. his motive is unclear, but online posts so attributed to him, suggest sympathy for europe's far right parties. at other markets, across the country, more police officers were deployed and citizens express frustration to park name. do you own the f one? you said the beans and mag to boot camp prompted to police in lower franconia to review the security measures. together with local authorities and christmas mortgage organizers and the police presence was supposed to be increased off to the magnetic incident report, especially the police. also, we shouldn't to allow us selves to be restricted because if we did the will of the other person would basically prevail. and we don't want that. we want to get on with our lives and leave out culture. the way we want to friday is a tech. it goes

a fatal one carried out by a to news and asylum seeker in berlin. in 2016, a similar backlash this time and taught immigration groups gathering. magda berg on saturday, calling for the for civil expulsion of foreigners from germany. elsewhere in the city, mourners laid flowers and lit candles and memory of the victims with politics, no answer. don't degrees. wilson does our elders 0 for inside story. okay, well let's bring in a guess from bets. book in germany, we're joined by or rick brook now a professor of political science at stanford university in berlin. in salt lake city, utah is rachel with a known resident senior fellow at the atlantic councils, europe center. and i'm so them is mohammed akasha of a political advisor and consultant at the migrant solidarity network. if i will

welcome to all 3 of you, welcome to inside story. i wonder if i can start with you because i have been at least 7 attacks on christmas markets in recent years. full in germany, 3 in france will apparently, i look ideologically motivated. but there's something very different to about this one. the suspects opinion, gemini, for some time, he was a school professional adopter. he wasn't a radicalize use this we've seen in previous attacks. he was deeply slumber phobic, despite coming from a muslim country. i wasn't a power and supporter or far right, immigration policy, so i mean only what does that mean for jimmy's perception of this attack? well, 1st of all, it means that it's easy to simply fine, but humans are much more complex. and we find people with a profile like this and if they don't fit into patterns that's counterterrorism understands easily need to kind of happen that people don't find warnings

as dangerous as in cases in which everything looks like a perfect match. there's. there's someone who wants to attack a christian community and they have for the or sorry to have to react. and this case, things look much more complicated and they have, for, it happened. what happened? how about how many are we all referring to? the suspect says that tyler a while the investigation remains that very much show active. i mean, this individual may also suffer from mental health issues, i think is very important to distress that you are normally based in germany. i wonder, given your understanding of how fever all the debates about race and religion is in germany, where the mental health would even be taken into consideration right now monitor. or actually this attack was to happen the last days in distrust of season and will increase the as in a hot back on august with ice level for baghdad,

the rate the increase in raising and in germany for the last few months, ever since the war and got the in middle east and we see a lot of the can also hit to speech. again as the outline there's like going into the foreigners, not necessary refugees or even coming from most of their backgrounds will like most of them countries. but the foreigners in general and also witness the increase of the right wing supporters and it's kind of sending go to see that that decker on the christmas market. and he's coming from a most lim, country, listening background. but at the same time use and the most name is a far right, is a poster. and this is like really and when he, the here more than that again is the high looms and was all the changes happen in the country for the last few months. now there are also

a sofa outstanding questions as to how the attack could managed to get close to the marketplace. those i'm sure will be on to this. the investigation continues. one suggestion is that the, you may have used a roots that had been designated for emergency teams, but, but rachel, the new voice has news agency, is quite say, i know named saturday schools, suggesting saudi arabia had one of the general thoughts about the suspect. as far back as 2023 and also earlier this year saying that he was a wanted fugitive. do we know for certain rates or whether this information had being ignored, shelved? what do we understand have been done with it? well, i was reading the same articles that you probably have been reading and it does seem that the german authorities were given information about this man. warnings about this man by the source of the government on 2 different occasions. looks like 2007 in 2008. and it's not that they were ignored. i think that the german

authorities were perhaps worried about what an extradition back to saudi arabia might need for his security. i've also looked at reports that said, members of his own community with in germany also offered warnings to the german authorities that were ignored as well. so i think that if there's one community that needs to take a close look at itself about how it responds to these kinds of things, it is the german police, the german police force and various other security forces that handle these types of issues. because it seems like, had they paid closer attention to this, this crisis, this attack, which killed so many and injured so many could perhaps have been avoided or re, cuz as rachel suggested, what are the juvenile authorities being a, perhaps a little bit too circumspect to careful about the kind of evidence being offered by saudi arabia given given his legacy. well, 1st of all,

i disagree with what mohammed has said, that this immediately will increase his mama for the i. she is the most explicit and time mostly active is actually got the floor of many quality media. and not only that goes 10 thousands of on it was who like his aggressive stands against as well. but i read an article, a long interview and the quantity paper funds for the itemized it's item that you gave before call it. and that sounded like someone who dedicates his lives to help we many need to supports x paths from saudi arabia. and he prizes germany as an open society with freedom riots and everything that the german or sar changed to receive a warning from saudi. ready maybe i will draw that take into consideration as his life is at risk if he will be sent back to saudi arabia because they have all the

reasons to. ready spread doubts about the political opinions of someone who are so critical about saudi arabia and what was extraordinary, you're sitting in the early hours off the news of this uh time bro, coming the current of ohio and see a slight meg. so i'm a phobia all over social media that was vast volumes of it. and when the presumption of course was that this attack of being count out, i'm listening. how do you think this attacked? would it be perceived? had it been carried out by a similar figure. so for instance, on this right, it could be who killed a large number of people in a, in no way because the person full nicely was a white supremacist. how would this would be perceived if things something different about it? so just to be clarifying this, i'm not saying own be because this then so then and then and not every one where read the background that the,

since it's only enough for the stereotype that this person came from. so the a review already mostly on our ups are and really a and so if you're all the time and dealing with this kind of good to read minutes because the are most plans, as mentioned, not only because of the last few months, but also because of the heat of the genocide going on in gaza and then there's poems and the personality with the police that we owe see and, and, and how the german government to resist. and this is by listing in rights movement . this also a reason the heat in the country and make it the right way using that and their politics and also in those features. and we see that, but it's a good price is already in germany. all this environment are pushing more game is the most lands or ups in the country. it was all this is inappropriate and is level

as for the approach. and we, we went in is that for the last year in many states in germany, german people are thinking outside the house like 0 is a song. and this is a fascist song and called in for kicking out the foreigners and the pointing at people back to their homeland for sure as a human rights advocate. and there is the big theater of the product and at that tech care from germany to so the read the was his background. and then at old the advocacy that he was doing and those the media campaign he was running like a big shift of his approach or to his i don't you also, it makes us a to question and to, and why this guy richard. this living as the original, the original, the habits got a point that has the name because also according to the german tabloid,

to build protest as wilks, we might to bug off to the attack shouting, anyone who doesn't love germany should leave germany migration kills. and we must take back all cities of villages and uh, homeland, according to those reports. i mean, how does the german government, in your opinion limit the full out of something like this, especially given life shot seems to be plummeting and supporting the poles that have the election of the next year. yeah, i mean look, there's a few things at play here. one thing that i find really fascinating is that this attack took place just hours after the richest man in the world. the one musk had tweeted to his hundreds of millions of twitter followers that only the f d can save germany. okay, so this isn't just an issue with german support for far right movements. this is something that's happening in the united states. it's something that's happening in france, austria, italy,

and so it is gonna be something to watch in terms of how the german government does handle the fallout from this. because certainly even if this man was anti muslim, a convert to christianity perhaps, and it, his profile is still one of a saudi immigrant to germany. and so that is going to fuel the rhetoric or at least i believe that it will feel the rhetoric for the far right. i think the real question is how do parties like the greens, the freedom across the f t p the s p d? how did they respond to this to limit the fall out? and i think that's something that has yet to be seen, but certainly allow schultz ahead of the election has a lot of pressure on him as to various other candidates, especially a cd you chance or candidate to predict mats. so thanks a lot, rachel, and overcome rachel has very clearly suggested that it almost doesn't seem to matter what the views of the suspects that would be the suspect to have said before

coming out this attack. because at the end of the day, he was simply a foreigner, an arab, and a former asylum seeker. and that's what most people seem to care about, particularly those who are drawing towards the far right to in gemini, i, or make the f d is made significant gains, hasn't it? and european elections in that and regional uh level elections as well as the, the 1st fall right party the when the german state since the non season the ring. yeah. but here we have a saw, a suspect, who appears to have a sensually sympathized with the calls how to the after you navigate that, and it is difficult for them and they immediately check if she maybe is even a member of the party, which isn't as simple as he's from saudi arabia and they have for it fuels and time muslim sentiments in the country. apparently he isn't, but they did not actively instrumental lies him to continue with the narrative off

. germany has to send back to where he ends or whatever else they are coming up with as a strategy to win more support them in the previous selections. we have to put things more in context, i believe. because even if we now see a rise off, say no phobia and, and kind of lost them and also the country so many takes time to mend and german pop, take these courses. germany is a different kind of for you. then it was 20 years or 40 years ago, we found more diverse. we have found more open and total range. the composition of the society is much more one with people with migration background. this is a longer trend in which people who have a much more conservative understanding of what the german culture is like for a long time, but it is only 7 years or 8 or 9 years ago when macklin was blamed for

being that you may need terry unmotivated persons who assisted people in need and made jeremy need the country that's took the most craft cheese, not only from syria, but also from scott, has done it more recently you from the ukraine. so base is also a germany in which dependent only is now is leaning more towards the right. but it came a very long way to stand for the values and principles of wisdom. talk democracy mohammed some as well. ricks highlighted clarity and clinical era policies. the very much it in the spotlight of the moment, particularly as the entire immigration asylum seeker debate as being turbo charged . the head of, of elections that i mean tough with measures i understand were announced in august following a knife attack allegedly carried out by suing asylum seeker. is it your view? oh, certainly. how many bits, jeremy's traditional sense of ground is inevitably having to stay, take big steps to the right to preserve support as so as mentioned, like

a really good many talk to a good steps towards the welcoming richard g and people lean war. but also it was that kind of political action for america, and it was a win win game because we know that germany is a kind of an old country needs as human resources, it needs work or the economy, the german economy need this people as so demographically at germany, yes. is it changing as there is a diversity? but at the same time, we cannot deny and blake our eyes from the rays of the right wings and in the run of the election like we will see like a now or we are witness and an early election. and it was the range of if the for sure, if they will use out to suction incidence and use more popular sticks beaches and

to gain more support in this times. and there is a way to make sure and to keep it far as the relation was that decor uh and make the boat christmas market that i sweet. all right, well, as far as the discussion and provide some context for our view as an listeners, all of this comes of the time when germany has said it will pause sybian asylum applications, which only was the only european nation to suspend decided application from syrians off the charlotte side was ousted, austria, belgium, greece, easily sweden, denmark, and the u. k. and them similar plans, but it's germany. the hosp, the largest student community in europe, is home to old, most a 1000000 suing refugees. the fries will the facts, maybe $48000.00 applications already in the system. the government has not announced any plans to the port syrians view and refugee agency says about 1000000

soon. refugees are expected to return home and the 1st 6 months of next year. it's urging countries to avoid forest returns to rachel, turning to you, how do you interpret the introduction of policies like that so close to a very contentious election as well. i think the numbers of people that are returning to syria on their own volition just shows that you know, a lot of refugees. they don't want to be refugees. they want to live in their home country. and so i think that germany and other european countries, what they can do now is support the refugees, the refugee communities, rather than try to send them back or, or limit the people that can seek asylum. i think syria is a very delicate case right now. we don't know how this is going to turn out after the fall, the fall and pressure on the outside just a couple of weeks ago. i think it's probably too soon to tell. and i think it's also a little bit too soon to tell how in germany and other countries are going to deal

with these issues in upcoming elections. and certainly, immigration is at the top of the mind, not just for far right. parties like the sd, but also center right. parties like the cd you like the f t p, maybe parties on the left like the greens and the and the s p d trying to figure out how not to solve pray to far. right. right, right. i think our work is totally right and then germany has changed over the last 15 or 20 years. it's a much more diverse country in germany as welcome to that many parties from the left to the right. have welcome that. and i think it's important for parties not to fall prey to that sort of rhetoric that pushes them to the right and falls into the trap of one being all immigrants in one pile. and i think that's something that parties are gonna have to really try to avoid a risk to do you agree with that? do you think that this policy of posing asylum applications right now will, will,

or will not have any impact on how people vote in the forthcoming election? and what understands that tactical position of the most part is that they are very careful given the current mood in the society. do we have to distinguish between what is migration policies and what is a humanitarian commitment to international treaties? to help, can you probably need know, economy needs traumatized, tortured oppress people from where have a part of the world. but if you live up to you, you might need terry and commitment and you help them maybe in the 2nd or in the search generation. this helps you to deal with your democratic problems, but we have elections in 2 months. so if people in the strategic headquarters of the parties believe that they should send a symbolic signal to voters who are simply afraid off what's coming up next time, it's understandable. but you women elections in germany in the same talk. 80

percent of the people are still committed to block an open society means. and then we have extra minutes on both sides of the political spectrum. and they will try to use people's fears to create a wave that allows them to serve into a better political position. and you almost have very, very powerful figures. so outside germany as well, the country may have changed, but so also have the potential powers to influence the direction that germany takes . mohammad. rachel raised the point earlier in the program and by the, the impacts of a little mosque on all of this to who is rachel mentioned the publicly endorse the a f d saying that they were germany's only hope, but he's now demanding olaf show. so resigns over the handling of this incident to a mazda but how vulnerable, how many do you think germany and germans are too powerful tech, really, and as with vice strong opinions,

who are very keen to shake the direction of european politics. so to answer this question we, we, we need to actually and also to be uh, kind of free or less big. the coming election uh is not, is not easy. and unfortunately, uh, i like to over germany, got ahead uh many times in the last 2 years was that go with and then the brain or, and the ongoing war and also the into know the different problems. and not only was the refugee but also economically, and germany is suffering at how much it's valuable to, to go through this. actually, i would say that as, as the 40, not as uh, and my grand in germany, most of my friends and not only the refugee but the migrant, the foreigners in germany, a kind of to observe and,

and the following. and that are in situations was few years and those that is equal to survive. and to be honest, also a people is, do you remember miracles the days and the american government and how the cancer was a stable and the people liked really in and up in the funding of what was happening in the next few months for the last couple of minutes, so we have rachel, los, where it goes to you in terms of shaping german perceptions and the way that it's healthy for the country as a whole in terms of its immigration policy. and also is mohammed said, making sure that people simply aren't fee, afraid of people from a, an immigrant background. i mean, where does responsibility lie here? is it with the government or was it with the free speech? absolutely. as to a spending all sorts of information online. well, i mean the free speech absolute as to are spreading anything online certainly

aren't going to feel a sense of i think, responsibility to tell the whole truth. i think they feel the responsibility to shape the narrative in a way that furthers their own policy policy ideas that often go against the center left and center, right, are often times extremist. i mean, look, we've had this issue in the united states to the southern border. the rush of immigrants on the southern border as the republicans have called, it turned a lot of people in the united states into one issue, voters. and i think in germany they have the same issue where it really is like the onus is on the government to push back against this rhetoric that has been spread by a lot of people who have these major platforms. and so i just think this is going to be difficult over the next couple of months, but let's hope that parties that are in the center console. okay. we do the yeah. challenging times ahead. it seems as we head towards the all important election,

say in germany, pleasure to have all 3 of you on inside story mohammed, cashier, rachel, reserve, and over rick brooks. many facts, and thank you to for watching. you can see the program again any time by visiting our website. i'll just do a dot com and for further discussion, go to a facebook page. that's facebook dot com, forward slash a j inside story. you can also join the conversation on x i handle is at a inside story for me the falkland whole team here. bye for now the the lines of ethnic i'm groups is posing the biggest challenge to me in most contest since the 2021 with exclusive access to remote comp since front bind battles. shouts the progress of an idealistic young generation of rebels as

a pivotal moment in the last 60 years of the countries. the trouble of history on the phones being ma, on the, on the ropes on al jazeera, leather known where political power and diagnostic families, often intertwined for generations. did you, meghan family, has let the countries maronite christians through the bits or civil war. political maneuvering and killed which is 0 world tells the story of their rise power and into ins. living owns political families. the jamalia is do this to you. are now to 0, the

limits to have a dream contained to study in your own adventure now counter. and we just preparing the whole crucial parliamentary elections. its military rules ended earlier this year with hundreds of thousands of sit in these refugees and regional instability. it faces many challenges, stay with the 0 for the latest on the child the and the elections. there is no channel that covers world news like we do as a rolling correspondence, i am constantly on the goals, covering topics from politics to. this is the environmental issue. the scale of this house is like nothing you've ever seen access to health care. what we want to know is how does these things affect people? we revisit places stay even when they're no international headline. houses are really invested in that, and that's a privilege. as a journalist the,

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